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A high-end computer designed specifically for security and privacy, with “backdoors” removed, the Librem includes hardware “kill switches” to physically sever connection to camera, microphone and WiFi/data to deter hackers. Optimized chip by chip for GNU/Linux-based operating systems with privacy protecting Tor Browser and DuckDuckGo preinstalled.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (PRWEB)October 27, 2015

In the midst of growing concerns about identity theft, Internet privacy, cybersecurity and digital rights, Purism today will unveil the Librem 13, the first high-end privacy- and freedom-respecting notebook personal computer. See the Librem in the Hardware Pavillion at OSCON, the leading Open Source conference in Europe, October 27 - 28 at the RAI Amsterdam.

The sleek, 13” anodized aluminum notebook computer features privacy “kill switches” to physically shut off the camera, microphone and data connection to deter data thieves, spies, cyberstalkers and hackers. The anonymous Tor Browser and other security applications such as EFF Privacy Badger are preinstalled for simple privacy, “out of the box.”

The Librem’s hardware, operating system and applications do not “phone home” and never send data back to the parent company. “Backdoors,” spyware, binary blobs and other vulnerabilities have been completely removed from the kernel, operating system and applications.

The Librem computers are also the first computers designed chip-by-chip to specifically optimize GNU/Linux-based operating systems with free/libre and open source software, and are preinstalled with PureOS, an easy-to-use, GNU/Linux-based OS based on a fork of Debian. All Librem laptops will also run any GNU/Linux operating system, seamlessly.

The Librem 13 which is crowd funded on the Open Source hardware crowd fund Crowd Supply, exceeded it’s funding goal with $275,000 US in preorders to date. The Librem 13 and 15-inch models combined have raised $822,500 US, making the Librem one of the top crowd funded PCs in history according to ZDNet.

About 50% of Librem orders are currently from outside the USA, particularly in countries where privacy is a concern, including the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, UK, Switzerland, Belgium and Czech Republic.

No “backdoors” or spyware in the kernel, operating system or software

“Conventional computers have spyware – also called “mystery code” – preinstalled throughout the kernel and operating system, software and even in the hardware. These spyware programs leave the user extremely vulnerable to the kinds of security attacks we’ve been seeing on a growing basis. The Librem laptops do not have this ‘mystery code’ in the kernel, operating system, nor software,” said Purism CEO Todd Weaver.

Private and secure, out of the box

The goal of the Librem is to offer a high-end computer with a simple, out of the box, privacy-enhancing computing experience, with the best privacy and rights-protecting free/libre and open source software preinstalled.

TorBrowser is preinstalled by default for private browsing, along with other privacy-enhancing applications including EFF Privacy Badger and HTTP Everywhere and a privacy-enhanced version of Firefox browser.

The Librem 13 also introduces many innovative security features not offered in any other PC on the market today, including two privacy “kill switches” to physically shut off the circuit to the camera, microphone and data connection to deter hackers, stalkers and identity thieves.

The Librem 13 which is crowd funded on the Open Source hardware crowd fund Crowd Supply, exceeded it’s funding goal with $275,000 US in preorders to date. The Librem 13 and 15-inch models combined have raised $822,500 US -- one of the top three crowd funded PCs in history according to ZDNet.

SHIPPING AND ORDERING INFORMATION

Librem 13:

The new Librem 13 is now shipping. It can still be preordered at http://www.crowdsupply.com/purism/librem-13, for a base price of $1699 US, plus a shipping charge of $80 for orders outside the USA. Orders are shipped to backers first come, first served in the order received.

LIbrem 15:

The Librem 15 rev2 begins shipping Q4 2015 and can be preordered for a base price of $1899 US at http://www.crowdsupply.com/purism/librem-15. Orders are shipped on a first-come, first-served basis in the order they were received.

CrowdSupply will accept all forms of International currency including Bitcoin.

ABOUT PURISM:

Purism follows a strict belief in users’ rights to privacy, security, and freedom. We believe users should have access to the highest quality computers without compromising these beliefs.

The founder and CEO of Purism, Todd Weaver, created Purism to combine the philosophies of the free/libre and open source software movement with the hardware manufacturing process. Purism is devoted to providing the highest quality hardware available, ensuring the rights of security, privacy, and freedom for all users.

Purism is based in San Francisco, California, and its products are assembled in the United States from components sourced internationally. Privately held and privately funded, Purism has raised nearly $822,500 US to date solely with crowd funding and is the top grossing project on Crowd Supply.